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Part 1
The Secret
A cold wind blows through a hill top cemetery, ruffling the hair of a woman weeping over one of the graves. Her hair settles over her tear stained face as she runs her hand over the name on the cold granite stone. Only the bitter wind knows of her yearly pilgrimage to this place of sorrow. Only the wind knows her pain.
The underbrush parts as a lean boy of sixteen steps quietly towards his prey. He sees it, a 1.5 ft. tall yellow rodent happily chewing on an apple. He tenses his legs and lunges for the large mouse. By the time it realized what had happened the boy already had a firm hold on its body.
“Pikachu! You need to pay more attention, if I was able to sneak up on you imagine how easy it would be for another Pokémon to catch you.”
“Pikachu pi pi pika pikachu.”
“Any way Pikachu, that should be enough practice on awareness for today lets head back to Pallet an see what mom has made for lunch.”
The boy and his Pikachu head for the nearby town of Pallet. Waiting for him is his mother Delilah Ketchum, Professor Samuel Oak, his best friend Brock, and long time travel companion turned girlfriend Misty; all of them crouching in the darkness waiting for his arrival.
“Hurry up Pikachu we’re almost home....”
He sees his home, but the lights are out, curtains drawn and front door closed.
“Pika?” his Pokémon inquires
“I don’t know Pikachu, but lets be careful when we enter something might be wrong.”
The two silently climb the stairs and hear muffled voices emanating from the darkened house.
“Hurry up he’ll be home soon, we need to get ready.”
“Sorry, I had to finish placing the ‘Goodies’ in the other room”
“Okay, but be quiet I think I here movement outside.”
“Pikachu”, he whispers “prepare to use Thunder on who ever is in there when I say so.”
“Pika!” the small rodent nods its head in agreement.
He opens the door, looks inside, then at his pikachu, and switches the light on.
“Surprise Ash!!!!!”, a whole group of people yell including Brock, Misty, Professor Oak, his mother, Tracey, and other people from Pallet Town.
“What?”, the now surprised boy exclaims.
His mother begins to speak, “Ash, The Professor, Tracey, and myself began planning this party for you once the news of your victory against the Johto League Elite Four and Champion reached Pallet. We are all very proud of your accomplishments and so would your father if he was here.”
“Thanks everyone, but I couldn’t have done it with out my Pokémon, so everybody come out of your pokéball and enjoy the party.”
Seven beams of energy shoot out from his jacket and each forms into a Pokémon.
“Bulbasaur!”
“Heracross!”
“Noctowl!”
“Cyndaquil!”
“Bay!”
“Totodile!”
“Espeon!”
“Eat up guys!”, Ash tells his Pokémon and they do
Misty comes up to Ash and promptly embraces him and speaks slightly annoyed, “What about me?!”
Embarrassed Ash replies, “Of course I couldn’t have done it with out you or your encouragement,” finishing up grabs Misty around her waist and gives her a long drawn out kiss.
“Tracey, ever thought that these two would get together?”, Brock inquired.
“Actually yes, when Misty started to cheer Ash during his third Orange League Gym battle. I felt there was something between them.”
“Huh.”
The party continues until late that night when all of the guests congratulate Ash again and head home. The last people that are awake are Brock, Misty, and Ash.
“Congratulations again Ash”, Brock says then yawns.
Ash responds “What are you going to do now?”
“Oh go to bed in my room at the Professor’s house than leave for Pewter early tomorrow morning to visit my family.”
“Okay have fun and don’t forget to e-mail me”, Ash says as Brock leaves for Prof. Oaks.
“Don’t think your gonna get rid of me that easily Ash Ketchum, you still owe me a bike. I plan to stay here in you spare room until I get one,” Misty lovingly teases.
“Okay. Okay. You’ll get a bike or,” Ash slyly replies “something equivalent.”
“I don’t know what you mean Ash, but I’m going to bed.”
“Okay, good night my sweetest.”
“Same to you Champ.”
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An open window allows a small breeze to blow through Ashes room and knocks his favorite cap off its rack and onto his computers keyboard. As if the wind had completed its goal it stopped, returning the room to its previous calm. The only thing different now was the e-mail light on his computer blinking in tune with his soft snores, up and down.
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“Douuuuuuuuu. Douuuuuuuuuu. Douuuuuuuu,” cries the Dodrio at Professor Oak’s Lab to signal the start of a new day. Ash, however does not wake up and as usual sleeps till his mothers Mr. Mime tries to vacuum his face.
“Ahhhhhh. Mr. Mime stop that. Why do you always vacuum my face?”
“Mime mime.”
“Never mind.” Ash grumbles as he gets dressed in his usual clothes.
Mr. Mime leaves while ash walks over to grab his hat and notices the e-mail light blinking, “Huh, Brock either moved pretty fast or left extremely early, but who cares. I wonder what he has to say.” Ash turns his computer on and enters the password to get to his desktop. All right, the e-mail program is open and I have one new message sent, 1:43 A.M. this morning? That is weird, but who sent it.... Anonymous!? Well lets see what it says”
Dear Ash,
Your Father did not mysteriously disappear, he was killed!
signed- ANNON
“What!? My father is dead, not missing. No that can’t be true.”
Ash hurries down stairs to ask his mother about the mysterious e-mail and if there is any truth to it.
“MOM! Where are you?”
“In the kitchen with Misty honey. You sound worried, is there anything wrong?”
Ash enters the kitchen, sits down and responds, “Yyyes, I got this weird e-mail saying dad did not disappear he wwwas killed. Is that true?”
“Oh dear I knew this day would happen,” Ashes mother says to herself, “Misty could you please run over and get the Professor and tell him what has happened.”
“Sure Mrs. Ketchum, right away” Misty responds.
As Misty runs to get the Prof. Ash asks with a quivering voice “Mom is it true then, is dad dead?”
“Yes honey he is, however I will let the Professor tell you what happened.”
A few minutes later Misty returns trailed by Professor Oak, who is caring a bag with him. They enter and all of them take a seat in the Ketchum living room.
“Ash,” The professor starts. “ We have held this secret for 14 years, afraid that you would blame yourself for what happened.”
“Blame myself? What are you trying to say?”
“ Ash, I am afraid to say it, but you are the reason that your father died those many years ago.” Oak responds..........
Part 2
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Ash: What do you mean I caused his death, I was only two. how.....
Oak: Calm down, Ash and let me explain. It happened 14 years ago, right after your second birthday. Your parents had been married for three years, but had dated for four years prior to that. You see they were friends from a very early age. They both grew up here in Pallet town, along
with another boy. They all were friends, but your father an the other boy were rivals just as you and Gary are. They always had to be the best, or, at least better then the other. When the time came for them to leave on their Pok*mon journey they both decided to go on it as a group. Your mother kept in touch with both of them at every Pok*mon Center they visited. It took them both two years to earn all eight badges they needed. Your father choose to train his Pok*mon and capture new ones until he was ready to compete. The other boy, however, entered the tournament every year, but kept failing to make the top four and becoming a Pok*mon Master. Four years passed, and finally your father felt he was ready to enter the tournament. Both made it to the top eight, where fate placed them against each other for their shot at becomming Pokemon masters. Since the other boy was seeded number 2, your father was the underdog. However, your father had one of the most stunning upsets in League history. He beat his opponent with only one Pokémon, his Raichu. Even the others Golem could not stand up to the powerful Thunder attacks of his starter. After the victory, your mother ran onto the field and embarrassed your father, the two had begun dating each other. Seeing this, the other spoke the most haunting phrase to your father as he went to go say "Good match."
"Don't try to insult me with your pity. You stole my dignity, my dreams, and lastly my love. I will never forget this and I will have my revenge."
He stormed out of the arena that day, and last anyone heard of him,
he was living in Viridian City. Though the loss of his friend and the comment weighed heavily on him, your father went on to win the tournament and become the new League Champion. He resigned his position as League Champ four years later to marry your mother and raise a family. They were very happy when you were born, and they both loved and still love you very much. However, the comment still weighed heavily on your father’s mind. The day it happened, your father was videotaping you as he was about to give you a present, but it would probably be better to just show you the tape. [Oak reaches in his bag and pulls out a videotape and places it in the VCR. They see a 2 year old Ash on the screen playing with a Scyther plush doll.]
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Man: Ashy, I have a surprise for you.
[the camera turns to show a box with 'Arcanine Ride On" written on it. A hand picks up the box and the camera turns back around, but the boy is gone.]
Man: ASH! Ash, where are you? [a scream sounds from the forest] No, Ash!
[they see the camera and box drop, but the strap holds the camera as the screen shows the feet of the man running through the forest untill the strap breaks. The camera now shows the young Ash huddled up with another toddler, a red haired girl. The sound of buzzing grows louder as the tape progresses.]
Man: Oh no, Beedrill! And from the sound of it a whole horde. Swarm
Arcanine Go!
[the screen shows the legs of the fire dog appear near the children.
Arms appear on screen placing both children onto the dog’s back. The
buzzing is so loud that the words are almost drowned out.]
Man: Arcanine, take these two to Professor Oak! [The dog makes no
sound as it runs off screen.] Well, it looks like its just you and me old
friend. [The sound of Beedrill is deafening.] Go Raich............[The tape stops.]
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Oak: That is all the tape has on it. When Arcanine arrived at my
lab with you two, [points to Ash and Misty] I immediately left you two in the care of one of my aides. I had Arcanine lead me to your father. I found him dead from Beedrill poison, his Raichu never was released. I loaded him up on Arcanine and took him to your mother. She was distraught over the loss,
but….
Mrs. Ketchum: [interrupting with tears in her eyes] I was glad you were safe. We buried your father on a hill side, at the very spot he proposed to me, and that’s where I go every year on the same day he died.
Ash: How could you have kept this information from me for so long?
Oak: When your father died, I had the records of his death sealed by the pokemon league. I also had the gym leaders and elite trainers that knew of his death to secrecy.
Misty: Why was I there and how come I don’t remember that?
Oak: As we later found out, you and your father Michael Waterflower were wandering along the river. He looked down to tie his shoe and you were gone. He said he heard a splash and dove in the river to search for you. He later found his way to my lab soaking wet and thats where he found you. He was the first to find out what happened to Ash’s dad. Now the reason neither you or Ash remember is because both your father Misty and your mother Ash had me use an Abra to block those memories from you. I am sorry we had not told both of you untill today.
[Ash gets up and heads to the stairs]
Mrs. Ketchum: Ash, don’t go!
Ash: Mom, I need to be alone and think about this. Proffessor Oak, what was the name of my father’s best friend?
Oak: His name was Iago Giovanni.
Part 3: Thicker then water
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Misty: Dad tell me what happened 14 years ago near Pallet Town with the Ketchums.
Waterflower: Professor Oak called and told me you might ask about it. Well your sisters were 10 at the time and were at there yearly "water Pokémon and you" camp in Vermilion City. Your mother, god rest her soul, was on a solo research mission in the Orange Archipelago. So, I decided to take you to my favorite fishing spot near pallet Town. We were wandering the bank when I heard a splash, i turned around and you were gone. My dewgong and I searched the water for you in fear you had fallen in. When we didn't find you, I decided to head for pallet Town to see if some one from there had found you. I located you at Oak's lab and found out what had happened. I then decided that you should have those memories sealed from you. But since then you have had a severe fear of Bug Pokémon.
Misty; Wow.... What do you know about Iago Giovanni?
Waterflower: I know a little about him, but you must not tell Ash any of this. If he knows what I am about to tell you he might try to track down Giovanni. The professor, Mrs. Ketchum, and I are afraid of what he might do to Ash if he found him.
Misty: okay, I guess
Waterflower: I met him 15 years ago. He challenged me for control of this gym. Per the rules, I accepted the challenge and we began our six on six water Pokémon only battle. He tried using shear power to overwhelm me, but he failed. I used the duel types of some Pokémon to hit him with electric, poison, and psychic attacks. He never expected that and was defeated. When he lost he turned over four of his badges as stated in the rules, but he spoke, "You, just like Ketchum have cheated me out of victory. You will pay for this Waterflower.". I had been threatened by angry trainers before, so I paid no mind to it. Then a year later your mother died and I could not help to wonder if some how he had a hand in it.
Misty: Oh.......
[The room falls silent as Mr. Waterflower gets up and leaves.]
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PALLET TOWN, LATER THAT NIGHT
[Ash opens his door and walks down the stair case].
Mrs. Ketchum: Ash, your up I'm glad....
[He walks right past her and out the door. It is as if she wasn't even there. he breaks into a run towards Oak's lab. He reaches the door in a few minuets and barges in. He finds Oak in the middle of dinner.]
Oak: Ash, what a surprise. How are y...
Ash: I ant to remember! Unlock those memories you sealed from me. I want to see why I wandered off and maybe resolve the fact that I am to blame.
Oak: Ash, are you sure of this? Once it is done you can never forget what happened.
[Mrs. Ketchum walks in]
Ash: Let me remember damn it!
Mrs Ketchum: If he wants to remember, let him.
Oak: okay, follow me then.
[They head for a wall, where oak flips open a picture to reveal a keypad. He enters in some numbers and a section of wall opens. They enter it.]
Ash: Why the security?
Oak: This is my vault of creations that are to dangerous for mass use. Here I have only two things, the Mind Augmenter and the Mindball.
Ash: Mind Augmenter and Mindball?
Oak: Misty’s mother was a brilliant Pokémon researcher and helped me develop these two items. The Mind Augmenter amplify the mental powers of a psychic Pokémon to extreme powers. Powerful enough to lock memories away or even control other Pokémon, because of this power I locked one of the two models away. The second was lost aboard Misty’s mother’s ship, she was using it to communicate with water Pokémon to help here in underwater excavation. The device was missing from the ship when it was found adrift. The mindball, has the power to capture any Pokémon in existence and break its free will, thus rendering it completely under the throwers control. This is the only one created. Now all I need to do is hook you up to the Mind Augmenter and you will remember what happened.[Oak release an Abra and places the device on Ash’s head.....he hits a button on it..it hums]. You should remember it shortly.
Ash: I remember now!
[Ash looks up and sees himself, no his father. He looks over towards the woods and sees a cookie come out of the foliage. It disappears and Ash follows the cookie through the wood until he sees a tree in the middle of a clearing. Suddenly dozens of Beedrill rise up and Ash hears himself scream. He runs untill he sees a girl in the middle of another clearing. He falls on her protecting her from the impending stingers. What ash rememvers most are their eyes. Their blood red eyes.]
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3:00 AM, Cerulean City
[A phone rings and a grogy Michael Waterflower answers it. Misty also is awaken and walks in.]
Waterflower: Hello, Waterflowers, Michael speaking.
Voice: Michael! Its you, I am still alive.
Waterflower: Rose, is that you!
Voice: Yes it is. I am being held captive by……[line goes dead].
Waterflower: Rose! Rose are you there!
Misty: Dad, who was that?
Waterflower: It was Rose, your mother……She is still alive...
Misty: My mother, alive?
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Meanwhile in a hidden complex
Voice 1: If I didn’t need you to finish that Mindball I would have killed you years ago...[hits the woman he is talking to...she falls]...Guards, take her back to her cell...[all but Voice 1 leave]...Only a few more dyas and my revenge is complete...Beware Ash, for you are about to encounter the sins of your father.
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Part 4: The Sins of the Father
It has been 4 days since the phone call that changed the Waterflowers life forever. The revelation that Rose, Misty’s mother was alive has shaken the very core of the Pokémon elite. A massive search has begun combing the Orange Archipelago for any sign of Rose. In the hidden facility a man is sitting in a chair. The door behind him opens.
Rose: I have finished it you despot! Now let me go home to my family.
Man: No, but soon your daughter and her boyfriend will join you here. Then they shall pay for what their fathers did!
Rose: Leave them out of this. They did nothing to you.
Man: But their fathers did. There have been only three people to cross me that have yet to pay enough for it. Mrs. Ketchum, Michael, and Mewtwo.
Rose: You killed her husband, kidnapped me, and Mewtwo is just to powerful for you.
Man: Yes those are true, but yet they still must pay. Mrs. Ketchum has yet to hurt as much as I did when she rejected me, killing her only son will make her feel the bitter sting I have felt. Michael now knows you are alive and that gives him hope. By killing Misty I will replace that hope with bitter despair. Lastly, yes Mewtwo was more powerful, but now that the mindball is complete Mewtwo can not resist my control. Once I control his power, I will control the world.
Rose: MONSTER!!!!!
Man: Call me what you will, but answer this. You just contributed the final part to my scheme. You have just destroyed the world, so am I the monster or are you?
[Rose collapses and begins to cry]
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Since Ash got his memories back he has had his fathers records unlocked and along with Misty, his mother and her father have retreated to small Island in the Orange Islands waiting for any news of the search. Ash and Misty are on the beach backing in the sun. Their parents have gone to Trovita Island for supplies.
Ash: Hey Misty, did your father tell yah anything about Iago Giovanni?
Misty: Nope, besides he is probably become some has been bum pan handling on the streets.
[ The serene waves are disturbed by the surfacing of a rather beat up Magikarp sub. The hatch opens and what we know as Team Rocket rises out of the hatch.]
Ash: Not you three again. I thought you guys quit Team Rocket.
James: We did, but when we heard of your connection to Team Rocket we had to come see you.
Ash: What connection?
James: Your fathers best friend turned rival was our boss. The leader of Team Rocket.
Ash: What!! Where can I find him, tell me!
Jessie: Keep your pants on. We do not know where he can be found but Butch and Cassidy might. They have become tight with Giovanni, or so we have heard. Sources say they can be found in the Celedon City Game Corner rigging the machines. Bye....[they reenter the sub and it descends.]
Ash: Well, it looks like I am off to Celedon City. Misty, tell the others where I went, but not why.
Misty: Wait, I am coming to. Maybe he will know something about my mother.
Ash: Okay then......[he throws a pokeball and out comes Charizard. They mount its back and fly off]
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One day later in Celedon City, Ash has been tracking Butch for almost eight hours now. Bayleef is at his side to bind Butch when no one is looking. Finally the time has arrived and he has Bayleef wrap up Butch and subdue him.
Ash: Now Butch, I know you are still a Team Rocket member, so answer this question and I will let you go. Where is Iago Giovanni?
Butch: I will never tell you where he is!....[he spits at Ash]
Ash: You will tell me!...[He punches Butch hard in the stomach]...You Will!
Butch: Never will I tell you Ketchum...[he spits out some blood]
Ash: Yes you will!......[he begins to repeatedly kick and punch Butch in the stomach and in the head until he is nearly unconscious]
Butch: He....He is in the Viridian Forest. Near Mile marker 13 along the rive..........[he passes out]
Ash: Good....[Ash recalls Bayleef then wipes Butches blood off of his hands with a piece of torn uniform]....Now to get Misty and pay Giovanni a visit.
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Viridian Forest near where Butch told them, Ash and misty here a rustling in the bushes as 12 armed men jump out and release stun gas
Ash: Its a tra.............[they pass out]
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Hours later in the same hidden compound. Ash and Misty begin to stir as the gas wears off. There is another chair in the room, but it is not facing them.
Ash: Huh?....Where are we?
Man: Ah, so Mr. Ketchum and Ms. Waterflower wake. I do hope your sleep was pleasant.
Ash: Are you Giovanni?
Man: Why yes I am and your two are the spawn of my enemies Arthur and Michael.
Ash: You killed him didn’t you.
Giovanni: No, but I facilitated it. Take a look I saved it for posterity...[he pushes a button as a screen lowers from the roof and a movie begins to play]
[ We see a horde of Red-eyed Beedrill approach a man identified as Arthur Ketchum in the other movie from part 2, he has a pokeball in his hand. However, a Beedrill knocks it away and they repeatedly sting him.]
Giovanni: Oh I love that part
[Just as suddenly as the attack began they stop and fly off. The sound of clapping can be heard in the background as a younger looking Giovanni walks out from behind the camera.
Giovanni: Well Arthur it looks like you have been stung by some Beedrill.
Arthur: Iago is that you? come closer I am having trouble seeing.
Giovanni: Yes it is me you swine and it looks like you will now pay for your treachery.
Arthur: What? I am your friend and I would never betray you.
Giovanni: You stole her from me then humiliated me at the pokemon league! So now you shall die for that! Oh, and don’t think your resistance to poison will help you. Not with this....[he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a syringe]..Concentrated Beedrill poison, enough to kill an adult Snorelax.
Arthur: But I have a fami.........[Giovanni injects him with the poison and he dies]
Giovanni: I know and they to will pay for what you have done.
[The tape Ends. Ash is sobbing]
Giovanni: Okay I guess I did kill him, but he deserve it......[he laughs]
Ash: [Between sobs].....Of I could kill you I would!
Giovanni: But you can’t can you now? I uess it is time for you to die...[he pushes a button as a door opens. Out walks a man carring a pokeball and dragging a chained Rose after him. He hands the ball to Giovanni and sits Rose in a chair next to Misty. He exits]......Here is the tool of my revenge. The mindball built for me by your mother Misty.
Misty: Mom, how could you?
Rose: I had to or he swore he would kill you and make me watch. I did not want you to feel [ain or get I hurt. I didn’t know!
Misty: Oh.....[Misty’s eyes glaze over as the realisation dawns on her.]
Giovanni: Enough with this Mother Daughter moment. Time to die!.......Pokeball go!.........[mewtwo comes out]...Mewtwo Kill him and make it painful, very painful..........[Giovanni sbegins to film with a camera to record a video to send to Ash’s mother and to keep in his collection]